1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to welding where components are joined together by heating component together to cause contacting surfaces to fuse and form a joint to hold the components together thereafter during normal use.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many vessels are used especially, but not exclusively, in domestic appliances to heat liquids, usually water, using an electric heating element. Conveniently for many applications, the heating element is attached directly to an outside surface of the vessel by some kind of welding process. In this way the heating element is conveniently supported by the vessel and provides a good conducting path for heat to enter the walls of the vessel. The vessels are made of metal and the electric element is insulated within a metal case or shield. It is already known to connect and fix the electric element to directly an outside surface of vessels by methods of hot welding. However, such methods are usually carried out in shrouded environments or furnaces so that each vessel, in a batch of vessels say, can be raised to the required temperatures, and held in contact with a respective electric heating element in the presence of a welding flux. Such methods are time consuming and must take place in a very carefully temperature controlled environment to avoid over-heating and possible permanent damage to either or both components.